Towing After an Accident in Fremont: Tow Yards, Storage Fees and Getting Your Car Back

If your car needs towing after an accident in Fremont, the right destination is the body shop you've chosen, not a storage yard. Going straight to the shop avoids daily storage fees and a second tow, and it gets the estimate started. California's claims rules require insurers to pay reasonable towing and storage charges when they were needed to protect the vehicle.

The tow is the part of a crash people think about least and regret most. By the time they call us, the car has often been sitting at a yard for days. Here's how to avoid that, and what to do if it already happened.

Your options right after the crash

When a car can't be driven, the tow usually comes one of three ways:

1. Police-called tow. If the car is blocking traffic, or police handle the scene, officers may call a tow company from their rotation. The car often goes to that company's yard.
2. Roadside assistance. Your insurer, your auto club or your car's roadside program sends a truck. You can usually choose the destination, within mileage limits.
3. A tow you arrange. You call a tow company or your body shop directly.

With options 2 and 3, tell the driver the destination: your body shop's address. For us that's 41589 Albrae Street, Fremont, CA 94538.

We provide towing after an accident

“If anybody's ever abandoned somewhere and needs to get their vehicle towed after an accident, we take care of that as well.”

JAZ, OWNER

Call (510) 634-3433 from the scene if it's safe to talk. We'll arrange the tow to our shop, and once the car is here we can start photos and the estimate and contact your insurer. If police have already called a tow, give them your preferred destination. If the car has to go to their yard first, we'll help move it.

How storage fees add up

Tow yards charge a daily storage fee, and the clock often starts the day the car arrives. A car that sits while the claim gets sorted out can build up a meaningful bill. There can also be separate charges for after-hours release or administration.

Who pays depends on your coverage and on fault. That's why the fastest fix is prevention: get the car to your chosen shop as soon as possible.

What your insurer has to pay under California rules

California's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations address this directly. Under 10 CCR 2695.8(k), insurers must pay reasonable towing and storage charges when they were reasonably necessary to protect the vehicle, and must give notice before they stop paying storage, so you have time to move the car.

The Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights also says you have a right to be told what your policy covers for towing and storage. Ask your adjuster on the first call:

• Does my policy cover towing, and to how many miles?
• Will you pay storage at the yard, and until when?
• Can you move the car to my chosen shop, or authorize the shop to move it?

Getting your car released from a tow yard

If the car is already at a yard, here's what usually helps:

1. Find out where it is. The police report number or the tow company's name will lead you to the yard.
2. Bring ID and proof of ownership such as your registration.
3. Ask for an itemized bill before paying: tow, storage days and any other charges.
4. Ask your insurer to pay or reimburse the reasonable charges.
5. Arrange the move to your shop. We can coordinate the tow from the yard to Albrae Street.
6. Get your personal items out of the car before it's moved again, or ask the shop to hold them for you.

Towed to a shop you didn't choose?

It happens. A tow driver or an adjuster suggests a shop and the car ends up there. You can still choose a different shop, especially before repairs start. California law lets you pick the repair shop. Ask the first shop about any teardown or storage charges before moving it. Read Can I choose my own body shop in California? for the rules and what to tell your insurer.

What happens once the car arrives

Once your car is here, we:

• Photograph the damage and check it in with you.
• Write an itemized estimate. Here's how auto body estimates work in California.
• Contact your adjuster and send photos and the estimate.
• Order parts after approval and start the repair.
• If glass is broken, our sister glass company handles it in the same visit. See windshield replacement in Fremont.

If the insurer says your car is a total loss

Sometimes the adjuster decides the repair would cost more than the car is worth. In that case, storage still matters. Ask how long the insurer will pay storage while the settlement is worked out, get your personal items and any toll transponder out of the car, and ask what paperwork the insurer needs from you. If you think the valuation is low, you can ask the insurer to explain how it was calculated. And if the car was towed to our shop first, we'll help you gather photos and the estimate so the decision is based on real numbers.

Tips for Fremont drivers

• Save our number in your phone: (510) 634-3433. You don't want to be searching for a shop on the shoulder of I-880.
• Know your roadside coverage before you need it. Many policies and newer cars include towing.
• Take photos before the car is hooked up. Towing can shift damaged parts, and photos protect your claim.
• Remove valuables and your garage opener before the car leaves the scene.
• File the SR-1 if it applies. California requires a DMV report within 10 days if anyone was hurt or damage is over $1,000. The form is on the DMV's SR-1 page.

For the complete process, from the first 30 minutes after the crash to getting your keys back, read our complete guide to a car accident in Fremont.

Getting your car towed the right way in Fremont

• Tow straight to your chosen shop to avoid storage fees and a second tow.
• California requires insurers to pay reasonable towing and storage and to warn you before they stop.
• We provide towing after an accident and can move a car out of a tow yard.

Call (510) 634-3433 now or request a free estimate.

Fremont Elite Autoworks

Owner-run auto body and collision shop at 41589 Albrae Street, Fremont, open since May 2023. Articles are reviewed by owner Jaz, who spent three and a half years at a dealership with its own body shop before opening the shop. Read our story. Related service: Collision Repair Experts.

Keep reading

THE FREMONT COLLISION GUIDEWhat to Do After a Car Accident in Fremont: The Complete Repair GuideEvery step from the crash scene to getting your keys back, written by the shop that handles Fremont claims every week.INSURANCE CLAIMSCan I Choose My Own Body Shop in California? Your Rights After a Fremont CrashWhat California law says about picking your repair shop, and the exact words to use with your adjuster.ESTIMATES & PRICINGHow Auto Body Estimates Work in California, Line by LineWhat every line on a collision estimate means, why supplements happen, and the rules that protect you.